The last time the Detroit Lions suffered back-to-back losses was during a five-game losing streak in the 2022 season, Dan Campbell’s second year as head coach. They’ll aim to avoid a similar fate as they head to Arizona to face the Cardinals for their first road game of the season.
In this week’s NFL power rankings, the general consensus is that the Lions will get the job done.
Following a Week 2 loss to the Bucs, experts predict the Lions’ defense, anchored by Aidan Hutchinson, and quarterback Jared Goff — who has struggled over the first two games — will regroup and guide the team to a narrow victory on the road.
The Lions opened at -3 for Sunday’s game on sportsbooks like FanDuel, BetMGM and Caesars.
RELATED: Lions open as road favorites in trip to Arizona
However, some analysts are hesitant to crown Detroit the winner, citing Arizona’s offense led by Kyler Murray and rookie phenom Marvin Harrison Jr. In a dominant 41-10 win over the Los Angeles Rams last week, Murray threw for 266 yards and three touchdowns. Living up to his potential, Harrison caught four passes for 130 yards and four touchdowns.
If the Lions are to emerge victorious, experts have pointed out that they must improve their red zone efficiency, which cost them in the loss to the Bucs when they went just 1-for-7 on opportunities inside the 20.
Here’s a look at Week 3 picks from NFL experts across the country:
Pick: Lions (majority)
“The reality is that, while Murray will dazzle and likely keep this one close, the Lions have more weaponry: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Detroit also has a defense that features Aidan Hutchinson, the league leader with 5.5 sacks to go along with nine QB hits, and ranks fourth against the run, allowing just 76.5 rush yards per game through two weeks.”
Pick: Lions (majority)
“(Jared) Goff will lead the league in QBR in Week 3. It’s a tiny sample, but quarterbacks facing Arizona have the third-best QBR this season — we know what Goff is capable of in this offense, even though he has only a 37 (!) QBR thus far this season.”
Pick: Lions
“Detroit was the heavy favorite against Tampa Bay, but lost 20-16 after going 1-for-7 in the red zone, turning the ball over twice, and missing out on a field goal because of bad clock management. Still, they’re favored at home against the Cardinals, who just walloped the Rams 41-10.”
“But Detroit is allowing just 76.5 rushing yards a game and has the best tackling efficiency in the NFL. Add to that the league’s best pass rush through two games (Aidan Hutchinson is, as the kids say, a problem), and the Cardinals will need all the explosive plays they can get to move the chains.”
Pick: Lions (majority)
“Going against a home underdog that just dropped a 41-10 piano on the Los Angeles Injuries is quite possibly asking for trouble—it’s been that kind of season so far. But if we still believe the Lions are one of the best teams in the NFC, then they should be able to beat the Redbirds by a field goal.”
Pick: Cardinals
“The Lions are out on the road for the first time, while the Cardinals are coming off an impressive home victory over the Rams. Arizona was outstanding on offense with Kyler Murray, which will stress the Lions defense. Look for Arizona to win a shootout that could get each team into the 30s.”
Pick: Lions (unanimous)
“Dan Campbell’s Lions teams typically respond well to poor performances, and I think Detroit has mostly itself to blame for its Week 2 loss against the Bucs. The Lions went one-for-seven in red zone efficiency and Jared Goff threw a pair of interceptions. I expect them to be much cleaner against the Cardinals.”
Pick: Split | Florio: Cardinals | Simms: Lions
“Detroit’s offense has been too sluggish. They’ll get a rude awakening in the desert.”
Pick: Lions
“The Lions will be ready to rev up their passing game the right way with Jared Goff on the road, playing better off the run and working the middle of the field vs. forcing the action downfield. Aidan Hutchinson will be busy chasing down and containing Kyler Murray so his team can have one more successful drive than the host.”
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